Blood

[RamiS]

Good morning everyone,

Moby my 4 year old fox squirrel that has never been sick, I woke up today and when I was playing with him in the living room I noticed blood on his (butt), he is acting normal, he eats sugar snap beans, 2 henry blocks each day, blueberries and walnut or two a day (not in shell). He is out of cage unless its night time and he's going to sleep.
I am very concerned about the blood, it is not dripping it seemed like its dry now and I am trying to clean it with baby wipes.

Any advise?

[CritterMom]

Well he likely won't like this, but you need to get it cleaned up so you can see what is bleeding. Is it internal? Has he had diarrhea or constipation lately? Or could he perhaps have actually injured himself with something in his cage?

[RamiS]

I did clean it and the blood seems to be coming from the rectum, he went to the bathroom normally this morning and it looked fine, not at all dry!

[RamiS]

anyone please :sadness

[island rehabber]

RamiS, this could be from several things. Something harsh may have irritated his stomach or intestines and that is the blood you're seeing. Or, he hurt himself internally somehow. How much is actually seeping out now? Is it droplets, just oozing, or has it stopped altogether? I would not worry too much about a one-time event, but I would encourage him to drink lots of fluids to flush out whatever is going on.

[RamiS]

Nothing now, it stopped, I first noticed it when I was playing with him early morning, he drinks water and eats normally, the only thing that changed in his diet the last two weeks is that I broke down his blocks added a bit of honey and crushed almonds since he stopped eating blocks for a few days before that, he just lost interest so I changed it up and has been eating them since then. I cleaned the area with baby wipes and its clean, he just went in for a nap, is there anything I need to do?

[RamiS]

Do I need to change the diet, or get him any meds, I cant take him to the vet here where I live

[TubeDriver]

How do his poops look? Bright red blood usually means the blood is from the rectum, dark or blackish blood could mean stomach or upper GI tract issues.

[missPixy]

here's something interesting to consider. both honey and vitamin E (which almonds are high in) are considered blood thinners~~ similar to the salicylates in aspirin.

blood thinning action in the body can include bleeding from the rectum.

so, there seems a possible connection with the addition of honey and crushed almonds to Moby's blocks, and this rectal bleeding you are seeing.

http://www.ctds.info/natthinners.html

[RamiS]

so I can see there is no injury and it is coming from the rectum, he is not bleeding now, and he just pooped again, it is normal size, its soft not hard poop, I am very worried

[RamiS]

Here is a close up

[TubeDriver]

Loss of appetite is often a sign that something is not right. Did his appetite come back after you adjusted his diet?

[RamiS]

Loss of appetite is often a sign that something is not right. Did his appetite come back after you adjusted his diet?

Yes it did, and this is not the first time, over the years he just gets board with the blocks but still eats his beans and fruits and treat, I never went over 5-7 days without his blocks during the (bordem) time, but this time I adjusted his blocks and he loves them

[RamiS]

Guys has anyone had this problem or know of a solution for it, I am sitting her freaking out that time is going by and I could be doing something to help him

[TubeDriver]

Are there any other symptoms (lethargy, motor coordination issues, rapid breathing etc)? Did you find additional blood in his cage or room?

There are a LOT of possibilities. Could he have eaten something he was not supposed to? I would watch him carefully over the next couple days.


Guys has anyone had this problem or know of a solution for it, I am sitting her freaking out that time is going by and I could be doing something to help him

[RamiS]

Are there any other symptoms (lethargy, motor coordination issues, rapid breathing etc)? Did you find additional blood in his cage or room?

There are a LOT of possibilities. Could he have eaten something he was not supposed to? I would watch him carefully over the next couple days.

I check his room and found nothing, I will wash all his fleeces tonight and double check. breathing and mobility is normal, All he has available to eat is what I hand him--> block-sugar snap beans-blueberries- pecan in shell he got one yesterday but he hid it-and sprouts un-shelled walnuts thats it, oh about two days ago he got his hands on some Resee's puffs like 6 of them but thats it

[Milo's Mom]

Is there any chance you could have a fecal done? I learned something about coccidia yesterday that is quite disturbing so I think having a fecal done would be a good place to start....it also happens to come from the same place as the blood....

[Diggie's Friend]

It could be from having eaten a beetle form of insect, as they have a sharp carapace. This has occurred in other squirrels and seen in the stool as it passed, and some blood also.

On occasion a beetle found its way into the enclosure of our fox squirrel, once I saw her eat one, just slurps it right down.

Squirrels have been found to lack the amino acid taurine that aren't fed any animal sourced foods, as they are omnivores like rats are, not vegetarians.

insects and egg yolk contain this amino acid. They are also a good source of protein in the diet.

For a source of freeze dried mealworms Camillies Via-mealies offers organic raised meal worms, they are a good surrogate natural food source of insect larva for wild squirrels.

I fed one to my friend fox squirrel friend Ms.Diggie that chopped it right down.

They offer a small bag you could try; if your squirrel doesn't like them then you can feed them to the birds.

I would though remove the heads as they have sharp mouthparts before feeding them. [

https://vita-mealie.weebly.com/dried-superworm-listings.html

[RamiS]

Is there any chance you could have a fecal done? I learned something about coccidia yesterday that is quite disturbing so I think having a fecal done would be a good place to start....it also happens to come from the same place as the blood....

I dont have a vet I can take to in my state, there is no way

[missPixy]

why don't you stop adding the honey and the almonds into the blocks and see if that stops the bleeding, as they are blood thinners?

the same thing happens to me when I have too many aspirin.

[RamiS]

Ok I will, what would you suggest to add in the blocks to get him to continue eating them?

[Diggie's Friend]

Try organic Chia oil from "Foods Alive"; a drop of this oil has been found helpful in getting a squirrel that doesn't like the block to accept it

https://www.amazon.com/Chia-Seed-Artisan-Cold-Pressed-Organic/dp/B002HQWZXA/ref=sr_1_4_s_it?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1530124466&sr=1-4&keywords=4%2Boz%2Bfoods%2Balive%2Bchia%2Boil&th=1

Chia oil is high in Omega 3 fatty acids; it is a key nutritional supplemental asset in the diet.

Pecans can then be substituted for almonds; they don't contain the aspirin like compound as almonds do.

Pecans are also relatively low in the calcium binding anti-nutrient oxalic acid compared to the level contained in almonds, which is very high.

Henry's Healthy Blocks for squirrels also offers a block that includes pecans.

You will need to add calcium in any case to any diet that includes a block source in order to bring up the ratio of calcium to phosphorus to what has been found to best support the bone health of adult rodents.

Calcium Citrate is an excellent source that can be used to add to the diet that the excellent benefit of inhibiting the formation of kidney and bladder stones in older rodents.

[RamiS]

Try organic Chia oil from "Foods Alive"; a drop of this oil has been found helpful in getting a squirrel that doesn't like the block to accept it

https://www.amazon.com/Chia-Seed-Artisan-Cold-Pressed-Organic/dp/B002HQWZXA/ref=sr_1_4_s_it?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1530124466&sr=1-4&keywords=4%2Boz%2Bfoods%2Balive%2Bchia%2Boil&th=1

Chia oil is high in Omega 3 fatty acids; it is a key nutritional supplemental asset in the diet.

I like the sound of that better than coconut oil, thank you I will see if sprouts has some

[RamiS]

Try organic Chia oil from "Foods Alive"; a drop of this oil has been found helpful in getting a squirrel that doesn't like the block to accept it

https://www.amazon.com/Chia-Seed-Artisan-Cold-Pressed-Organic/dp/B002HQWZXA/ref=sr_1_4_s_it?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1530124466&sr=1-4&keywords=4%2Boz%2Bfoods%2Balive%2Bchia%2Boil&th=1

Chia oil is high in Omega 3 fatty acids; it is a key nutritional supplemental asset in the diet.

Pecans can then be substituted for almonds; they don't contain the aspirin like compound as almonds do.

Pecans are also relatively low in the calcium binding anti-nutrient oxalic acid compared to the level contained in almonds, which is very high.

Henry's Healthy Blocks for squirrels also offers a block that includes pecans.

You will need to add calcium in any case to any diet that includes a block source in order to bring up the ratio of calcium to phosphorus to what has been found to best support the bone health of adult rodents.

Calcium Citrate is an excellent source that can be used to add to the diet that the excellent benefit of inhibiting the formation of kidney and bladder stones in older rodents.


Oh yes he has always been feed Henry blocks since he was young, its just that he lost interest in the blocks (picky blocks) and 2 weeks ago I got a new order and crushed have of it, added honey and crushed almonds and he loved it since then

[Diggie's Friend]

Just for clarity, if you grind up block to make a dough ball form coconut oil works well as a binder for a Boo ball recipe, for when it cools hardens.

Organic virgin coconut oil has been found to support bone health in rats, not a bad choice in that regard, yet it isn't high in omega 3 fatty acid.

Adding Chia oil from this source lends support to balancing Omega 3 with Omega 6 in the diet; 3 to 4 drops is a good amount to use daily.

Honey is a concentrated form of processed sugar; this should not be included in the diet in more than a drop or so when needed.

Including organic plain Lowfat yogurt to include in a dough ball recipe is recommend. You can add the organic food grade coconut and chia oil to the recipe.

Organic pumpkin seed oil is a good source to support the health of male squirrels.

It helps to peak interest in eating greens as it reduces their bitter taste, and also supports their better digestion.

I recommend the best source I have found that is grown in the USA. from Oil Seed Co. of Oregon.

It is a large bottle; I have stored mine in the fridge and found the shelf life to be about a year.

https://www.amazon.com/Pumpkin-Seed-Oil-Grown-Oregon/dp/B00Z8BRCDO?th=1

[RamiS]

Just for clarity, if you grind up block to make a dough ball form coconut oil works well as a binder for a Boo ball recipe, for when it cools hardens.

Organic virgin coconut oil has been found to support bone health in rats, not a bad choice in that regard, yet it isn't high in omega 3 fatty acid.

Adding Chia oil from this source lends support to balancing Omega 3 with Omega 6 in the diet; 3 to 4 drops is a good amount to use daily.

So how many drops do you recommend if I am crushing to make 10 blocks? and do you think walnuts is better or what kind of nuts is better?

[Diggie's Friend]

Assuming your squirrel is not one of the larger fox squirrel subspecies that inhabit the eastern and gulf coast regions, what does your squirrel weight?

[RamiS]

Ok so now after he woke up I check I dont see any new blood coming out from the area, but there is some sort of liquid on there (clear liquid)!!!!!

[RamiS]

Assuming your squirrel is not one of the larger fox squirrel subspecies that inhabit the eastern and gulf coast regions, what does your squirrel weight?

I have no idea what he weights?

[RamiS]

Assuming your squirrel is not one of the larger fox squirrel subspecies that inhabit the eastern and gulf coast regions, what does your squirrel weight?

Ok I just wighted him at 650g, is that good or bad?

[RamiS]

Guys sorry for the photo but since I cant take him to a vet I am trying to get the best help possible, he just pooped now, and this is what it looks like, not sure what that liquid is!!

[cava]

When the intestines are irritated they create extra mucus to help flush the irritant out. It's not abnormal to see mucus/clear liquid with poopy problems.

I had a squirrel eat a stink bug and had straight blood from the anus, then bloody hard stools, then she cleared it. I supported her with softish food, rest and allowed her body to heal. I agree a stool check is always a good idea if possible. Monitor his gums for color, you want to see pink, red not gray, white. It would be easier to monitor his output and minimize overexertion if he spends some time in a cage. If he does have blood loss he could be a bit weak/lethargic and fall.

[Diggie's Friend]

650 grams equals 1.69 lb. This is a good weight for an adult fox squirrel of the midsized ssp. of Sciurus niger .


10 pc for a 5 day recipe with two blocks fed daily AM & PM, equals 17.5 drops of chia oil and 8 3/4 drops of Pumpkin seed oil. .

Better to make a recipe where the drops turn out even.

With 3.5 drops a day for an 8 day recipe with 16 pc. two pc. fed daily, 28 drops of chia oil and 14 drops of Pumpkin seed oil.

One drop measure equals 1/64 Tsp. Norpro mini teaspoon set on Ebay is very reasonable in price.

I recommend getting a set to those that care for squirrels to have on hand.

[RamiS]

Everyone you have been amazing as always:grin3 I want to thank you all for your advise and support throughout this intense day.
Moby has been sleeping most of the day so I am hoping thats normal, he is not playful right now, he played for a few minutes this morning jumping and fighting with my hand but he is just been sleeping for the most part after that. he ate a block and his beans and blueberries and one slice of walnut today.

let me know if this is normal or not please!

Also I am doing a full cage clean (I do one every weekend but I missed the last one) so tomorrow will be clean cage day and washing all his fleeces and stuff.

[Diggie's Friend]

Sorry I missed this before, but you wrote you feed him beans; what kind of beans do you feed him?

The reason I ask is that for the most part beans aren't a food which should be fed to a squirrel, especially raw, or not fully cooked, as they contain toxins.

Even when well cooked they contain a high amount of oxalates which have a corrosive inflammatory effect on the intestinal tract.

They are also promoters of bad bacteria causing gas, which since squirrels can 't burp can cause them intestinal discomfort.

[RamiS]

I have always feed him sugar snap beans, never has he dad a problem for years now!!

[RamiS]

Update//////

Ok guys, so Moby is not himself today, he is still sleeping in, he hasnt ate anything since yesterday around 2pm!

[RamiS]

Anyone!!

[CritterMom]

Yes. We just don't have enough info to make any suggestions but this one: where are you located? We have a member with a lot of vet contacts. Sometimes vets with a freaking heart will turn a blind eye toward the local wildlife treatment situation. Your baby should be seen by a vet.

[RamiS]

Yes. We just don't have enough info to make any suggestions but this one: where are you located? We have a member with a lot of vet contacts. Sometimes vets with a freaking heart will turn a blind eye toward the local wildlife treatment situation. Your baby should be seen by a vet.

What kind of info would you need? I provided diet info, pictures, habits, age, weight! Yes and that would be the first thing to do is take him to a vet but not in this state!

[CritterMom]

What kind of info would you need? I provided diet info, pictures, habits, age, weight! Yes and that would be the first thing to do is take him to a vet but not in this state!

I know you have and all of it looks great. So all we now know is that a squirrel on a good diet had one reported instance of blood coming from the anus, then later stopped eating and wanted to sleep all the time. That just isn't enough info to do anything but make wild guesses. When I say "more info" I mean like bloodwork and x-rays to see if there is something going on in his intestines.

Has he come out yet? Have you tried to offer him anything by hand or even offer water by syringe?

And if you will not provide even a general idea of where you are located there is really no way for anyone to help you with SAFE vet recommendations...

[RamiS]

I know you have and all of it looks great. So all we now know is that a squirrel on a good diet had one reported instance of blood coming from the anus, then later stopped eating and wanted to sleep all the time. That just isn't enough info to do anything but make wild guesses. When I say "more info" I mean like bloodwork and x-rays to see if there is something going on in his intestines.

Has he come out yet? Have you tried to offer him anything by hand or even offer water by syringe?

And if you will not provide even a general idea of where you are located there is really no way for anyone to help you with SAFE vet recommendations...

I gave him two slices of avocado and 2 blueberries which he ate, I am trying to keep him away from hard foods, I tried with water he wont take any, He went to bathroom #1&2 although his urine color was darker, like orangy color, he only came out to eat that stuff and back in he went.

[CritterMom]

I gave him two slices of avocado and 2 blueberries which he ate, I am trying to keep him away from hard foods, I tried with water he wont take any, He went to bathroom #1&2 although his urine color was darker, like orangy color, he only came out to eat that stuff and back in he went.

OK. So he IS going to the bathroom. Next time he comes out, try offering him some water with a little honey added if you have it, or even just enough sugar to make it barely sweet, and try heating it up. Offer it in a spoon or with a syringe.

[RamiS]

OK. So he IS going to the bathroom. Next time he comes out, try offering him some water with a little honey added if you have it, or even just enough sugar to make it barely sweet, and try heating it up. Offer it in a spoon or with a syringe.

I got him to come out of the cube for a few minutes but he's just not up for anything, I did the sugar thing in a spoon and syringe and nothing worked and he just went back in!!!!!!! I just gave him a tiny piece of a walnut halve covered with honey (a little just on the outside) and he ate it, no water yet, he came out to poop but he is doing it strange, he lifts his butt up!!!?!

[CritterMom]

Does he seem to be straining to poop? How do they look? Soft? Hard? Normal?

[RamiS]

Does he seem to be straining to poop? How do they look? Soft? Hard? Normal?

He might be, they are larger, not hard, they look soft still have that same liquid they had yesterday

[Diggie's Friend]

I have always feed him sugar snap beans, never has he dad a problem for years now!!

Good, just checking. These beans, the pod snap peas, and green peas are exceptions, as they don't contain the toxins other beans do raw, nor cause overgrowth of bacteria that they do even when cooked.

Even so, these sources are higher in bioavailable calcium if boiled, which also makes them easier to digest.

[RamiS]

Good, just checking. These beans, the pod snap peas, and green peas are exceptions, as they don't contain the toxins other beans do raw, nor cause overgrowth of bacteria that they do even when cooked.

Even so, these sources are higher in bioavailable calcium if boiled, which also makes them easier to digest.

Great advice, how do you boil them? and thank you for your input.

[RamiS]

Does he seem to be straining to poop? How do they look? Soft? Hard? Normal?

Ok so he come out maybe 3 times today for a few minutes and goes back in:tap I think he is straining to poop :-( What should I do in this case to make it easy for him, Iv'e been living on my last nerve for the past 24 hours...

[cava]

If it's possible he ingested a non-food item it could be causing obstruction. Again, are you willing to post your location so members can instruct you on a safe vet. Most states are illegal yet people find vets willing to help all of the time. I think he should have an x-ray of his abdomen to rule out foreign body if he has had anal bleeding, mucus, lethargy, poor appetite and now not pooping.

[RamiS]

If it's possible he ingested a non-food item it could be causing obstruction. Again, are you willing to post your location so members can instruct you on a safe vet. Most states are illegal yet people find vets willing to help all of the time. I think he should have an x-ray of his abdomen to rule out foreign body if he has had anal bleeding, mucus, lethargy, poor appetite and now not pooping.

Cava I never said he was not pooping, I stated that he is pooping but not as he normally dose! His poop is not hard, looks ok for size I just never seen him lift his behind like that to do so which tells me he might be having difficulties pooping! I did send my location to one of the administrators as I will not post to the general form, not to offend anyone but no need for unnecessary risks for my little one. and I have been giving all updates so I can get the best analysis of what he has going on so I can do some sort of treatment.

[RamiS]

I just got some organic baby food and also got Fig which I heard is good for the stomach is these cases! I wont give him anything of what I got until I get a yes or no from you guys.

[RamiS]

bump......

[RamiS]

Update///

Moby is out and about today:grin2 he is back to his normal habits and lifestyle, I guess he just needed to sleep for 2 days, I gave him some fig last night before I went to bed, not sure if that helped but I am so happy he is back to being healthy and playful.

Thank you all for your help, and would like to thank SophieSquirrel for all the information and support:grin3

[CritterMom]

Ah, good, you two got together.

You can urge poop along with squirrels the same way you do people - prunes will do it - you want to take a tiny bit of dry prune, mash and chop it into a paste (the skins can be a choking hazard whole, but if you mice everything into goo it is fine). You can spread it on anything he likes - it is really sweet and they often love it. A teeny bit and then wait and see what happens that day - if you think he needs more, give him some the next day. You don't want to give him the runs, so a little bit at a time!

Prune baby food may do it too.

[Diggie's Friend]

I would add organic baked butternut, or acorn squash to his diet daily; this helps keep the bowels working well and doesn't negatively impact the Calcium to phosphorus ratio in the diet. Organic plain lowfat "Green Valley" yogurt, or Stonyfield organic creamy lowfat plain yogurt are good choices, they are positive in calcium to phosphorus ratio, and have the added benefit of providing probiotics, while low in sugar content (natural sourced), and fat.